Sen. Kay Hagan (D-N.C.) told Attorney General Eric Holder on Monday that she wants a U.S. Attorney who is a holdover from the George W. Bush administration to continue his oversight of federal investigations into two high-profile Democrats, The News & Observer in Raleigh, N.C., reported today. She had earlier said the same thing to the White House.

Kay Hagan (Kayhagan.com)

The Democratic senator recommended Thomas G. Walker as the nominee for U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina in July. But she urged the White House to allow current U.S. Attorney George E.B. Holding to continue his oversight of federal probes into former Gov. Mike Easley and Sen. John Edwards, who are both Democrats, even after Walker is confirmed. The White House has remained quiet on Holding’s tenure since President Obamanominated Walker last week.

Hagan, who won a close election last year in her conservative state, has worked hard to not seem as though she backs removing Holding from his position overseeing the Easley and Edwards investigations.

Holder gave assurances to the North Carolina senator in a brief telephone conversation on Monday, according to the newspaper.

“The attorney general assured the senator that the Justice Department handles investigations based solely on their merit and without regard to the political affiliation of the U.S. attorney,” Justice Department spokesperson Melissa Schwartz told The News & Observer.